Black Ops 7 SBMM Controversy: Why Players Keep Complaining

Skill-based matchmaking (SBMM) has been a lightning-rod issue in Call of Duty for years — and Black Ops 7 is no exception. With each new update, the same debate resurfaces, as a vocal chunk of the community insists SBMM ruins the game. But is it really the villain some players make it out to be?

🎯 What Is Skill-Based Matchmaking?

SBMM is an algorithm used in multiplayer games that matches players with others of similar skill. The goal is simple:

Fair and competitive matches
Newer players aren’t constantly stomped
Skilled players are genuinely challenged

The trade-off?
Matchmaking may take a little longer, and games can feel “sweatier” since you’re always playing against opponents who can fight back.

🎙️ Why Creators & Pros Complain About SBMM

The loudest voices against SBMM usually come from:

Streamers
Competitive players
High-skill content creators

Why?
Without SBMM, they can farm lower-skill lobbies, rack up easy highlight clips, and look unstoppable on stream. But that “fun” comes at someone else’s expense — average players being repeatedly destroyed.

Removing SBMM benefits maybe half the community… and punishes the rest.

👥 Casual Players Matter Too

For Treyarch and Activision, every player matters:

Hardcore grinders who play daily
Weekend warriors who hop on occasionally

If matches are fair and enjoyable, more people keep playing.
And data shows that balanced matches increase engagement, especially for casual players — even if they’re not online complaining about it on social media.

🔍 The “Rug Pull” Accusations

Some fans claim Treyarch “tricked” them by collecting data through open matchmaking, only to bring SBMM back. But realistically:

Nobody enjoys being spawn-killed for 10 minutes straight
Retaining new players is crucial to a healthy playerbase
Developers want growth, not sabotage

Open playlists still exist — SBMM just helps keep standard multiplayer healthy.

📊 Will This Impact Future Call of Duty Titles?

Some concerns are fair. Yes — data gathered now will influence future games.
But the more likely outcome is a blend:

SBMM in core playlists
Open matchmaking modes still available
Options for both styles of play

That sounds far more realistic than the doom-and-gloom predictions circulating online.

💡 Final Thoughts

The SBMM debate will keep popping up — it always does. But here’s the reality:

Not every player wants sweaty matches every night
Not every player wants to get farmed by streamers
Call of Duty is built for everyone, not just elite players

Treyarch is making the decisions they believe lead to long-term success — and most players are silently happier because of it.

If the standard playlist is thriving, it’s because most of the community prefers fair competition… they’re just not shouting about it on Reddit.